Moscow (AFP)
The two Russian hitters made speak their power from the start of the match, breaking each other during the first two games, then not releasing more than one sole until the tie-break.
Led 3/6 in the decisive game, Karatsev, 22nd player in the world, showed remarkable composure and pugnacity, saving four set points and tearing the round against his compatriot harvester (9/7) .
Frustrated and refraining from hitting the ground with his racquet, Khachanov, 31st in the world and aged 25, made more mistakes in the second set and conceded three games in a row, accumulating a delay that would prove to be too great.
With this victory, the 28-year-old Karatsev has the opportunity to win the second tournament of his season, after Dubai, and thus confirm his ascent which notably saw him reach the last four of the Open d ' Australia.
On his home soil, he will face the 41st world player on Sunday Marin Cilic, who fell earlier Saturday against Ricardas Berankis, 108th world player, 6-3, 6-4.
The Croatian giant (1.98 m) subjected the courageous Lithuanian to a fierce bombardment, multiplying the services exceeding 200 km / h (10 aces) and taking advantage of the hard surface which favors fast balls.
Cilic, who has already won the Moscow tournament twice in 2014 and 2015, will therefore play for a third Russian title.
© 2021 AFP